Niyati Ahuja is a senior associate at Reed Smith's New York office, focusing on complex international commercial litigation and arbitration. Admitted to practice in both India and New York, Niyati represents global corporations and individuals in high-stakes disputes across multiple jurisdictions.
Her extensive trial and arbitration experience includes:
Investor-state disputes: Niyati has acted for energy, mining, banking, telecom, and agricultural investors in investor-state arbitrations.
Commercial arbitrations: Niyati has led commercial arbitrations involving breaches of joint venture and shareholder agreements as well as breach of concession agreements. She has also managed multi-jurisdictional strategies for enforcing ICC arbitration awards, including a complex matter against the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Trial experience: In addition to her arbitration practice, Niyati has trial experience. She defended a physician in a two-week jury trial in federal courts involving allegations of fraud related to Medicare and Medicaid billing, where she successfully obtained a partial acquittal. She regularly participates in litigation proceedings relating to discovery in aid of foreign proceedings, enforcement of arbitration awards, and resisting proceedings for setting aside arbitration awards. Niyati has also represented individuals and companies in connection with a subpoena issued by a plaintiff in a federal trial. Niyati’s experience extends to cross-border litigation, including handling discovery requests under 28 U.S.C. § 1782 and enforcing arbitral awards under the Federal Arbitration Act and the New York Convention.
In addition to her litigation and arbitration work, Niyati contributes to the legal field through publications in leading journals, including the Journal of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration and the American Review of International Arbitration. Her writings cover litigation and dispute resolution laws and regulations in the United States, enforcement of foreign judgments, international arbitration, economic sanctions, and climate change legislation.
Niyati is the founder of Indian Women in International Arbitration, an organization dedicated to supporting women in the field. She has served as a facilitator for the Young ITA Mentorship Program and as a coach and arbitrator in international moot court competitions. She was recognized as a Laureate Runner-up at the Paris Arbitration Academy by the Comité français de l’arbitrage (CFA).
Fluent in English and Hindi, Niyati provides clients with a sophisticated and global perspective on their legal challenges.